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UBRARY  OF  CONCIttESS 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  CONGRESS 
AND  ITS  WORK 


REPORT  PREPARED  FOR 

THE  COM&nSSION  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA 

TO  THE  BRAZIL  CENTENNIAL  EXPOSITION 


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For  Di8tr3)ittioii  at  the  Brazil  Centennial  Exposition 
1922-1923 


WASHINGTON 
G0VBKN1«ENT  PRINITNG  Of nCB 


LIBRARY  OF  CONGllESS 


THE 

LIBRARY  OF  CONGRESS  AND  ITS  WORK 


Supplementing  Exhibit 

of  the 

LIBRARY  OF  CONGRESS 

at  the 

BRAZIL  CENTENNIAL  EXPOSITION 

Rio  de  Janeiro,  Brazil 

1922-1923 


By 

CHARLFS  UPRmS  HASTINGS 

Chief  of  Card  Division 
Library  of  Congress 


_  -^7-- 

;■/''  LIBRARY  vSTAFF 

•*•■•'•*'•'•■      •  bENERAL*  'administration 

Herbert  Putnam — Librarian  of  Congress. 

Appleton  Prentiss  Clark  Griffin — Chief  Assistant  Librarian. 

Allen  Richards  Boyd— Chief  Clerk. 

Jessica  Louise  Farnum — Secretary. 

DIVISIONS 

Reading  Roovi- — Frederick  William  Ashley,  Superintendent;  Hugh  Alex- 
ander Morrison,  Representatives  Reading  Room,  John  Graham  Mor- 
rison, Henry  Eastman  Lower,  chief  assistants. 

Division  oj  Bibliography — Herman  Henr}-  Bernard  ^leyer,  Chief. 

Card  Division — Charles  Harris  Hastings,  Chief. 

Catalogue  Division — Charles  Martel,  Chief. 

Classification  Division — Clarence  W.  Perley,  Chief. 

Division  oj  Documents — Henry  John  Harris,  Chief. 

Legislative  Reference — Herman  Henry  Bernard  Meyer,  in  charge. 

Division  of  Manuscripts — Charles  Moore,  Acting  Chief. 

Division  of  Maps  and  Charts — Philip  Lee  Phillips,  Chief. 

Division  of  Music — Carl  Engel,  Chief. 

Order  Division — William  Adams  Slade,  Chief. 

Division  of  Periodicals — ^Yale  Oldknow  Millington,  Acting  Chief. 

Division  of  Prints — Richard  Austin  Rice,  Acting  Chief. 

Semitic  Division — Israel  Schapiro,  in  charge. 

Smithsonian  Deposit — Paul  Brockett,  Custodian  (oflfice  at  Smithsonian 
Institution) ;  Francis  Henry  Parsons,  assistant  in  charge. 

Law  Library — Roger  Boutell,  Law  Librarian. 

copyright  office 

Thorvald  Solberg — Register  of  Copyrights. 

William  Lincoln  Brown — Assistant  Register  of  Copyrights. 

library  branch,  government  printing  office 

Printing — Sheridan  C.  Koons,  foreman. 
Binding — Charles  F.  Weston,  foreman. 

LIBRARY  BUILDING  AND  GROUNDS 

Mrs.  Harriet  de  K.  Woods — Administrative  assistant  and  Disbursing 

officer. 
Wade  H.  Rabbitt,  Chief  Clerk. 
Charles  E.  Ray— Chief  Engineer. 
Damon  Warren  Harding — Electrician. 
John  S.  Deitrick — Captain  of  the  Watch. 


^Idi- 


J 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  CONGRESS 


The  Building 

The  building  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  the  largest  and  most  costly 
library  building  in  the  world,  is  located  on  Capitol  Hill,  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
east  of  the  Capitol. 

It  was  begun  1889  and  completed  1897  at  a  cost  of  $6,347,000,  exclusive 
of  the  site,  which  cost  $585,000.  The  original  plans  were  made  by  Messrs. 
Smithmeyer  &  Pelz,  but  the  building  was  actually  constructed  and  many 
architectural  details  worked  out  under  Brig.  Gen.  Thomas  L.  Casey,  Chief 
of  Engineers,  U.  S.  Army,  and  his  chief  assistant,  Bernard  R.  Green.  After 
the  death  of  General  Casey,  in  1895,  the  building  was  completed  under 
Mr.  Green. 

The  building  occupies  ^}4  acres.  It  contains  7,500,000  cubic  feet  of 
space  and  over  8  acres  of  floor  space. 

Its  internal  arrangements  are  planned  to  secure  the  greatest  protection 
of  its  contents  from  loss  or  injury,  which  is  consistent  with  the  public  use 
of  its  collections.  The  shelving  for  books  is  metal  throughout,  combining 
'^leanliness  with  convenience.  For  the  preservation  of  maps,  manuscripts, 
and  prints  specially  constructed  cases  are  provided.  Steel  safes  of  special 
design  and  make  are  used  for  the  more  valuable  manuscripts.  All  parts  of 
the  building  are  patrolled  day  and  night. 

The  original  shelving  provided  for  about  2,000,000  volumes.  Within 
its  present  walls  the  building  contains  space  for  over  3,000,000  volumes 
without  curtailing  the  space  requisite  for  readers  or  exhibits.  With 
stacks  in  the  courtyards,  its  capacity  can  be  increased  to  over  7,000,000 
volumes;  one  of  these  courtyards  has  been  already  utilized. 

It  has  space  at  present  for  a' thousand  readers  at  a  time. 

During  the  year  1920-21  it  was  visited  by  942,972  persons — an  average 
of  2,605  daily. 

DECORATIONS 

The  magnificent  series  of  mural  and  sculptural  decorations  in  the 
Library  of  Congress  has  done  much  toward  placing  it  among  the  fore- 
most of  American  public  buildings. 

For  the  first  time  in  the  construction  of  its  public  monuments,  the 
Government  called  upon  a  representative  number  of  American  painters 
and  sculptors  for  the  decoration  of  the  National  Library.  Commissions 
were  given  to  about  fifty  prominent  American  artists,  and  their  work 

11191-22  3 


ri005«3 


4  TUE   LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS   AND   ITS   WORK. 

as  shown  throughout  the  building  not  only  enriches  its  architecture  but 

affords  an  interesting  study  of  American  art. 

Mr.  Elmer  E-  Garnsey  had  charge  of  the  conventional  color  decoration 

of  the  interior.     His  reputation  had  already  been  established  in  similar 

work  at  the  World's  Fair  (Chicago),  in  the  Boston  Public  Library,  and 

in  the  Carnegie  Library  at  Pittsburg.     Mr.  Albert  Weinert  was  in  charge 

of  the  stucco  ornamentation.     Both  artists  were  under  the  general  super- 
vision  of   the   architect  having  particular  charge  of  the  details — Mr. 

Edward  Pearce  Casey. 

"In  art  no  one  phase,  or  any  one  school,  predominates.     Impres- 
sionism, classicism,  individualism,  all  are  given  an  equal  opportunity; 

and  the  period  of  American  painting  is  spread  upon  the  walls  in  a  way 

that  is  thoroughly  representative,"  as  evidenced  by  the  contribution  of 

the  following  painters : 

John  W.  Alexander :  The  Evolution  of  the  book. 

George  R.  Barse,  jr.:  Lyrica,  Tragedy,  Comedy,  Historj^,  Erotica,  Tra- 
dition, Fancy,  Romance. 

Frank  W.  Benson:  The  Graces,  and  the  Seasons. 

Edward  Blashfield:  Human  Understanding,  and  Evolution  of  Civiliza- 
tion. 

Kenyon  Cox:  The  Arts,  and  the  Sciences. 

Robert  Leftwich  Dodge:  The  Elements. 

William  de  Leftwich  Dodge:  Ambition,  Literature,  Music,  Science,  Art. 

Elmer  E.  Garnsey :  Ceilings  of  the  northeast  and  southeast  pavilions. 

Carl  Gutherz :  The  Spectrum  of  Light. 

Edward  J.  Holslag:  Decoration  in  the  Librarian's  office. 

Walter  McEwen :  The  Greek  Heroes. 

Frederick  C.  Martin:  Ceiling  of  the  staircase  hall. 

George  W.  Maynard:  The  Virtues,  and  Adventure,  Discovery,  Conquest, 
Civilization. 

Gari  Melchers:  Peace,  War. 

Charles  Sprague  Pearce:  The  Family,  Study,  Religion,  Labor,  Recrea- 
tion, Rest. 

Robert  Reid:  The  Senses,  and  Wisdom,  Understanding,  Knowledge, 
Philosophy. 

Walter  Shirlaw :  The  Sciences. 

Edward  Simmons:  The  Muses. 

Wm.  B.  Van  Ingen:  Audubon,  Prescott,  and  Compositions  representing 
the  departments  of  the  Government.  Sculpture,  Architecture,  and 
Painting  (medallions). 

Elihu  Vedder:  Government,  Good  Administration,  Peace  and  Prosperity, 
Corrupt  legislation,  and  Anarchy. 

Henry  Oliver  Walker :  Lyric  Poetry. 

The  gallery  of  the  rotunda  contains  heroic  statutes  in  bronze,  the 

work   of   Drominent   American   sculptors.     The   stucco    ornamentation 


THE   UBRARY   OF   CONGRESS   AND   ITS   WORK.  5 

throughout  the  building,  including  figures  in  plaster,  contributes  much 
to  the  beauty  of  the  decoration. 

The  selection  of  the  sculptors  to  be  commissioned  and  of  the  work  to 
be  assigned  to  each  was  a  matter  of  careful  consideration.  To  aid  in 
this  work  the  architect  secured  the  advice  of  the  president  of  the  National 
Sculpture  Society,  Mr.  J.  Q.  A.  Ward,  who  associated  with  him  two  others 
of  the  most  prominent  members  of  the  society. 

Following  is  a  list  of  the  sculptors  and  their  contributions : 
Herbert    Adams:     Demosthenes,    Scott,    and    Dante    (portico    busts) 

Minerva  of  War,  Minerva  of  Peace  (stucco  decoration) ;    statue  of 

Henry,  and  sculptured  panel  of  mantelpiece  in  the  Senators'  reading 

room;   finished  "Writing"  of  bronze  door  begun  by  Warner. 
Paul  W.  Bartlett:    Law,  and  statues  of  Columbus  and  Michael  Angelo, 
Theodore  Baur :  Religion,  and  statue  of  Beethoven. 
George  Bissell :  Statue  of  Kent. 
Wm.    Boyd    and    Henry    J.    ElHcott:  Thirty-three    ethnological    heads 

ornamenting  the  keystones  of  the  first-story  pavilion  windows. 
John  J.  Boyle:  Statues  of  Plato  and  Bacon. 
C.  E.  Dallin :  Statue  of  Newton. 
John  Donoghue:  Science,  and  statue  of  St.  Paul. 

Mr.  Dozzi :  Art  (after  sketches  by  Augustus  St.  Gaudens) . 
John  Flanagan :  Commerce,  and  group  ornamenting  the  great  clock  over 

entrance  to  rotunda. 
Daniel  C.  French :  History,  and  statue  of  Herodotus. 
J.  Scott  Hartley:  Emerson,  Irving,  Hawthorne  (portico  busts). 
Frederick  Macmonnies:  The  Art  of  printing  (central  bronze  door),  and 

statue  of  Shakespeare. 
Philip   Martiny:  Bronze   figures   and    ornamentation   of    staircase,  and 

sides  of  commemorative  arch. 
Charles  H.  Niehaus :  Statues  of  Moses  and  Gibbon. 

Roland  Hinton  Terry:   The  fountain   (in  front  of  building),  and  bas- 
reliefs  representing  Ancient  Prophetic  Inspiration. 
Edward  C.  Potter:  Statue  of  Fulton. 

Bela  L.  Pratt:  The  Seasons,  and  Literature,  Science,  Art,  Philosophy. 
F.  Wellington  Ruckstuhl:  Goethe,  Franklin,  Macaulay  (portico  busts), 

and  statue  of  Solon. 
Louis  St.  Gaudens :  Statue  of  Homer. 
J.  Q.  A.  Ward:  Poetry. 
Olin  L.   Warner:  Tradition,   Writing  (bronze  doors)   and  the  Students 

(commemorative  arch) . 
Albert  Weinert:  Stucco  ornamentation  in  Librarian's  office,  and  dome 

of  rotunda. 

The  mosaic  work  is  represented  by  the  following  artists : 
Frederick  Dielman:  Law,   History,  and  Mythology.     Industry,    Peace, 

Truth,  Fraud,  Discord,  and  Violence. 


6  THE    LIBRARY    OF    CONGRESS    AND    ITS    WORK. 

Herman  T.  Schladermundt :  Arts  and  Sciences,  and  the   decoration  of 

vaults  of  north,  south,  and  east  corridors  (entrance  hall). 
Elihu  Vedder :  Minerva  of  Peace. 

The  Library 
chronology 

1800.  Established  as  a  library  for  Congress  in  the  Capitol  building, 

1 8 14.  Destroyed  in  the  burning  of  the  Capitol  by  the  British. 

18 15.  Reconstructed   by   the   purchase   of   the   library   of   ex- President 
t*''i"J^      Jefferson — about  7,000  volumes,  cost  $23,950. 

1 85 1.  Partially  destroyed  by  fire  in  the  Capitol;  20,000  volumes  were 
saved  and  the  Library  replenished  by  special  expenditure  of 
$75,000. 

1846-1870.  One  copy  of  books,  etc.,  deposited  under  Copyright  Law  sent 
to  Library. 

1866.  Made  custodian  of  the  library  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  with 

its  subsequent  accessions. 

1867.  Purchase  of  Peter  Force  collection  of  Americana. 
-1870.  Made  Office  of  Copyright  for  the  United  States. 

1882.  Gift  of  the  library  of  Joseph  M.  Toner. 

1883.  Purchase  of  papers  of  the  Marquis  de  Rochambeau. 

1897.  Removed  to  new  building. 

1898.  Gift  of  Gardiner  Greene  Hubbard  collection  of  prints. 
1 90 1.  Purchase  of  the  Robert  Morris  papers. 

Work  of  supplying  printed  cards  to  other  libraries  begun. 

1903.  Gift  of  the  papers  of  Andrew  Jackson  and  Martin  Van  Buren. 
Made  the  depository  of  historical  manuscripts  in  the  Executive 

Departments  of  the  Government,  resulting  in  the  transfer  of  the 
papers  of  Washington,  Jefferson,  Madison,   Monroe,   Franklin, 
Hamilton,  and  of  the  Post-Office  Department  of  the  Confederate 
States. 
Kohl  collection  of  maps  transferred  from  State  Department. 

1904.  Purchase  of  the  papers  of  James  K.  Polk  and  Andrew  Johnson. 

1905.  Gift  of  a  collection  of  original  drawings,   prints,   and  books  of 

Japanese  artists,  by  Mr.  Crosby  S.  Noyes. 

1906.  Purchase  of  the  "Peace  Transcripts"  made  by  Mr.  B.  F.  Stevens,. 

and  the  Stevens  "Catalogue  Index"  of  manuscripts  in  European 
archives  relating  to  America. 

1907.  Acquisition  of  the  Yudin  collection  of  Russian  literature. 

1909.  Gift  from  the  Chinese  government  of  the  great  Chinese  encyclo- 

pedia (The  Tu  Shu  Tsi  Cheng). 

19 10.  Deposit  of  the  John  Boyd  Thacher  collection  of  Incunabula. 


THE    LIBRARY    OF    CONGRESS    AND    ITS    WORK.  7 

191 2.  Gift  of  the  Deinard  collection  of  Hebraica  by  Mr.  Jacob  H.  Schiff. 
Gift  of  the  library  of  Dr.   Henry  Carrington  Bolton  relating  to 
chemistry. 

19 14.  Second  gift  of  Hebraica  from  Mr.  Jacob  H.  Schiff. 
Establishment  of  the  Semitic  Division. 

19 1 5.  Henry  Harrisse  bequest. 

Establishment  of  the  Legislative  Reference  Service. 
191 7.  Pennell  gift  of  Whistleriana. 

Deposit  of  the  public  papers  of  President  Theodore  Roosevelt. 
19 19.  Deposit  of  the  public  papers  of  President  William  H.  Taft. 
192 1.  Transfer  from  the  Dep.artment  of  State  of  the  originals  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  and   of  the   Constitution  of  the 
United  States. 
Deposit  of  the  John  Boyd  Thacher  collection  on  the  French  revo- 
lution. 

PRESENT  COLLECTIONS 

It  comprised  at  the  end  of  the  fiscal  year  (June  30,  192 1),  according  to' 
the  latest  count  and  records  of  accessions,  3,000,410  (1922)  printed  books 
and  pamphlets  (including  the  law  library);  170,005  maps  and  charts; 
954,304  (1922)  pieces  of  music;  and  424,783  photographs,  prints,  en- 
gravings, and  lithographs. 

APPROPRIATIONS 

Appropriations  for  1922  were:  for  salaries,  $476,855  (including  8104,740 
for  the  Copyright  Office,  which  is  offset  by  fees  received) ;  increase  of 
Library,  $98,000;  contingent,  $8,000;  printing  and  binding,  $250,000 
(an  "allotment,"  i.  e.,  leave  to  order  work  to  this  amount  at  the  Govern- 
ment Printing  Office  and  its  branches  in  the  Library  building) ;  to  be 
expended  for  care  and  maintenance,  $95,265;  fuel,  light,  and  miscella- 
neous, $16,000;  furniture  and  shelving,  $17,000.  Total,  all  purposes, 
$961,120. 

ORGANIZ.\TION 

The  administration  of  the  Library  is  under  the  Librarian  of  Congress. 
He  is  appointed  by  the  President,  subject  to  confirmation  by  the  Senate. 
He  reports  direct  to  Congress,  to  which  he  submits  annually  estimates 
of  appropriations  required  for  the  maintenance  of  the  Library.  He  is 
authorized  to  expend  the  appropriations  granted  by  law  for  the  purposes 
designated,  to  appoint  all  employees  of  the  Library  proper  and  the  Copy- 
right Office,  and  is  authorized  to  make  rules  and  regulations  for  the 
government  of  the  Library.  In  addition  to  the  Copyright  Office,  the 
Library  includes  theicSw^Rrg  divisions,  each  under  the  supervision  of  a 
chief:  Order,  Catalogue,  Bibliography,  Legislative  Reference,  Reading 
Room,  Periodical,  Documents,  Manuscripts,  Maps,  Music,  Prints,  Card, 


8  THE   LIBRARY   OF    CONGRESS   AND   ITS   WORK. 

Classification,  Semitic,  Smithsonian  Deposit,  and  Law  Library;  and  two 
divisions.  Mail  and  Delivery  and  Binding,  in  charge  of  assistants. 

The  Copyright  Office  is  under  the  general  administration  of  the  Libra- 
rian of  Congress,  in  particular  charge  of  the  Register  of  Copyrights. 
During  the  year  1920-21  there  were  135,280  entries  for  copyrights  and 
$141,199.33  received  in  fees,  this  amount  more  than  offsetting  the  cost 
of  maintaining  the  office.  During  the  year  there  were  235,122  articles 
deposited  to  perfect  the  above  entries.  So  far  as  desirable,  articles  so 
deposited  are  drawn  up  into  the  Library  to  form  a  part  of  its  collection. 

SERVICE 

The  force  employed  in  the  Library  proper,  including  the  Copyright 
Office,  numbers  468,  and  in  the  Disbursing  Office  and  care  of  Building  and 
Grounds  128;  a  total  under  the  Librarian  of  596;  under  the  Public 
Printer,  but  detailed  to  the  Library  of  Congress  for  its  printing,  binding, 
and  repairing,  96  persons. 

NEW   CARD   CATALOGUE 

This  catalogue  was  begun  in  July,  1898,  when  entries  for  books  re- 
ceived by  copyright  were  first  printed  on  standard-size  cards. 

Three  copies  of  the  catalogue  are  prepared,  viz,  the  Public  Catalogue 
in  the  Reading  Room,  the  New  (Second)  Official  Catalogue  in  the  Cata- 
logue Division,  and  the  Third  Official  Catalogue,  at  present  in  the  Card 
Division. 

These  catalogues  all  contain  printed  entries  for  books  received  b> 
copyright  since  July,  1898,  and  for  books  received  from  sources  other 
than  copyright  subsequent  to  January  i,  1901.  Additional  manuscript 
or  typewritten  entries  are  filed  in  the  Public  Catalogue  only,  or  in  the 
latter  and  the  New  Official  Catalogue.  They  also  contain  entries  for  books 
in  recatalogued  classes,  viz,  *Agriculture,  Anatomy,  Animal  culture,  An- 
thropogeography.  Anthropology,  *Archeology,  Architecture,  Archives, 
Astronomy  (exclusive  of  Observations),  Bacteriology,  Bibliography,  and 
Library  science.  Biography,  Botany,  Chemistry,  Chronology,  Commerce, 
Diplomatics,,  Economics,  Education,  Engineering,  Fine  arts,  Geneology, 
Geography  (including  Voyages  and  travels),  History,  Horticulture, 
Hygiene,  International  law,  *Languages,  **Law,  Mathematics,  Medicine, 
Meteorology  (exclusive  of  Observations),  *Military  science,  Mineral 
industries.  Music  (exclusive  of  scores).  Natural  history,  *Naval  science. 
Oceanography,  Paleography,  Physical  Geography,  Physics,  Physiology, 
Political  science.  Psychology,  Railroads,  Science,  Sociology,  Sports  and 
Games,  Statistics,  Technology,  Topography,  Transportation,  Zoology. 

In  addition  to  the  entries  mentioned  above,  the  Second  Official  Cata- 
logue contains  manuscript  author  cards  for  books  received  by  purchase 

*  In  the  classes  marked  with  an  asterisk  (*)  recataloguing  has  not  been  entirely  completed.     **  Law  is 
not  reclassified  and  only  in  part  catalogued  by  subject. 


THE    LIBRARY    OF    CONGRESS    AND    ITS    WORK.  9 

and  gift  in  1900  that  have  not  yet  been  recatalogued  vvilli  printed  cards. 
The  PubHc  Catalogue  contains  typewritten  copies  of  these  entries  and 
also  pasted  slip  entries  for  books  listed  in  the  catalogue  of  1864,  the 
accession  lists  of  18 75- 18 76  and  the  section  of  the  author"  catalogue 
printed  in  1878-1880  (A-Drei),  except  in  so  far  as  these  have  been  dis- 
placed by  printed  cards. 

Finally  the  Second  Official  Catalogue  contains  preliminary  cards 
for  authors  and  subjects  on  which  are  noted  authorities  for  heading, 
references  made  to  it,  and  occasionally  definitions  and  special  instructions. 

Secondary  title  entries  are  ordinarily  filed  in  the  Public  and  Third 
Official  Catalogues  only. 

CLASSIFICATION 

The  new  system  of  classification  was  devised  from  a  comparison  of 
existing  schemes  (including  the  "decimal"  and  the  "expansive")  and  a 
consideration  of  the  particular  conditions  in  this  library,  the  character 
of  its  present  and  probable  collections,  and  its  probable  use.  It  is 
assumed  that  the  departments  of  history,  political  and  social  science, 
and  certain  others  will  be  unusually  large.  It  is  assumed  that  investi- 
gators will  be  freely  admitted  to  the  shelves. 

The  system  devised  has  not  sought  to  follow  strictly  the  scientific 
order  of  subjects.  It  has  sought  rather  convenient  sequence  of  the 
various  groups,  considering  them  as  groups  of  books,  not  as  groups  of 
mere  subjects.  It  has  sought  to  avoid  technical,  foreign,  or  unusual 
terms  in  the  designation  of  these  groups.  It  has  selected  for  the  symbols 
to  denote  them:  (i)  for  the  classes,  a  capital  letter  or  a  double  letter;  (2) 
for  the  subclasses,  these  letters  combined  with  a  numeral  in  ordinary 
sequence.  Provision  for  the  insertion  of  future  groups  is:  (i)  in  inter- 
vening numbers  as  yet  unused;  (2)  in  the  use  of  decimals. 

The  main  classes  are  as  follows: 

A.  Polygraphy  (collections,  encyclopedias,  etc.). 
B-BJ.  Philosophy. 
BL-BX.  Religion. 

C.  History — Auxiliary  sciences. 

D.  History  and  topography  (except  America). 

E.  America  (general)  and  United  States  (general). 

F.  United  States  (local)  and  America  outside  of  United 

States. 

G.  Geography^Anthropology. 
H.  Social  sciences. 

J.  Political  science. 
K.  Law. 
L.  Education. 
M.  Music. 


lO  THE    UBRARY    OF    CONGRESS    AND    ITS    W(JRK 

N.  Fine  arts. 

P.  Language  and  literature. 
PZ.  Fiction. 
Q.  Science. 
R.  Medicine. 
S.  Agriculture. 
T.  Technology. 
U.  Military  science. 
V.  Naval  science. 
Z.  Bibliography. 
On  June  30,  1922,  the  classification  of  practically  all  classes  had  been 
completed,  excepting  BL-BX  (in  part)  K  and  P  (in  part). 

PRINTED   CATALOGUE    CARDS 

In  the  Card  Division  are  stored  extra  copies  of  the  cards  which  the 
Library  has  been  printing  for  its  catalogues  since  1898.  Over  870,000 
different  cards  are  in  stock.  The  average  stock  of  each  is  about  75 
copies;  the  collection  therefore  includes  over  65,000,000  cards.  When 
the  stock  of  any  card  is  exhausted  the  card  is  at  once  reprinted. 

Since  November,  1901,  the  Library  of  Congress  has  been  supplying 
copies  of  its  printed  catalogue  cards  to  other  libraries,  institutions,  and 
individuals  for  use  in  cataloguing  or  for  bibliographical  purposes.  Cards 
may  be  ordered  by  any  method  which  will  specifically  identify  those 
desired  and  in  any  quantity,  from  a  single  copy  to  the  full  stock.  The 
price  per  card  varies  according  to  the  method  of  ordering  and  the  quan- 
tity ordered.     The  average  price  is  about  iK  cents  per  card. 

Over  3,000  institutions  and  individuals  are  now  ordering  the  cards 
regularly;  their  purchases  amount  to  over  $100,000  annually. 

Certain  libraries  in  leading  centers  of  research  have  been  made  de- 
positories for  complete  sets  of  L.  C.  printed  cards.  By  consulting  a 
depository  set  one  may  find  out  whether  a  certain  book  is  in  the  Library 
of  Congress.  Copies  of  any  cards  in  the  depository  catalogue  may  be 
ordered  by  number.  In  order  that  its  collection  of  books  and  printed 
catalogue  cards  may  be  fully  utilized  by  Departments  of  the  U.  S.  Gov- 
ernment, partial  depository  sets  of  the  cards  have  been  assigned  to 
the  libraries  of  the  Departments,  each  corresponding  in  scope  to  the 
work  of  the  Department  in  the  library  of  which  it  is  placed. 

MANUSCRIPTS 

In  1897  the  Library  of  Congress  established  a  Division  of  Manuscripts 
with  the  purpose  of  creating  one  central  place  of  deposit  in  which  there 
should  be  every  precaution  taken  for  the  safety  of  the  manuscripts  and 
where  there  should  be  a  force  adequate  to  listing  and  making  the  docu- 


THE    LIBRARY    OF    CONGRESS    AND    ITS    WORK.  II 

ments  accessible  to  the  general  public.  It  is  fitted  throughout  with 
strictly  modern  appliances  for  receiving,  handling,  and  storing  manu- 
script material.  It  contains  specially  devised  cases  for  the  display  of 
the  material,  with  specially  designed  steel  safes  for  the  more  valuable 
documents,  with  a  force  of  repairers  and  binders  of  special  skill  and 
knowledge  in  the  delicate  task  of  restoring,  repairing,  mounting,  and 
binding  papers  which  have  suffered  injury  by  moisture,  by  fire,  or  by 
such  other  chances  as  threaten  old  papers  kept  in  private  hands. 

The  more  important  collections  now  in  the  Library  of  Congress  are : 

1.  The  Peter  Force  collection,  rich  in  colonial  and  Revolutionary 
history. 

2.  From  the  librarv  of  Thomas  Jefferson  were  obtained  manuscript 
materials  of  a  unique  description,  chiefly  relating  to  the  colonial  history 
of  Virginia. 

3.  The  Rochambeau  Papers  purchased  by  Congress  in  1883. 

4.  Many  volumes  relating  to  the  history  of  the  Spanish  possesssions 
in  America  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries.  They  have  been 
supplemented  recently  by  the  acquisition  of  the  Spanish  records  of  East 
Honduras,  of  New  Mexico,  of  Porto  Rico,  and  of  Guam.  Attention 
has  also  been  given  to  the  English,  Spanish,  and  Dutch  colonies  in  North 
America. 

5.  Naval  papers,  like  the  papers  of  John  Paul  Jones,  of  Edward  Preble, 
of  John  Barry,  of  David  Porter,  and  the  Marine  Committee  of  the  Conti- 
nental Congress;  and  in  military  history  many  orderly  books,  covering 
the  wars  in  which  the  nation  has  engaged. 

6.  The  letter-books  and  diary  of  Robert  Morris,  Superintendent  of 
Finance  in  the  Revolution. 

7.  The  papers  of  the  following  Presidents:  Washington,  Jefferson, 
Madison,  Monroe,  Jackson,  Van  Buren,  Tyler,  Polk,  Pierce,  Johnson, 
Cleveland,  Roosevelt,  and  Taft. 

8.  The  papers  of  the  Continental  Congress,  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  of 
Alexander  Hamilton,  and  the  proceedings  of  the  Loyalist  Commissioners. 

9.  The  papers  of  the  following  public  men:  Duncan  McArthur,  John  J. 
Crittenden,  John  M.  Clayton,  Caleb  B.  Smith,  Daniel  Webster,  James 
Brown,  Salmon  P.  Chase,  William  Plumer,  William  Allen,  John  Breck- 
inridge, Robert  J.  Breckinridge,  W.  C.  P.  Breckinridge,  Lyman  Trumbull, 
Elihu  Washburne,  Virgil  Maxey,  Francis  Markoe,  William  T.  Sherman, 
John  Sherman,  George  B.  McClellan,  Gideon  Welles,  and  E-  M.  Stanton. 

10.  The  diplomatic  papers  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America  and 
those  of  the  Confederate  Post-C)ffice. 

11.  The  papers  of  John  Fitch,  William  Thornton,  Henry  R.  School- 
craft, Ephriam  G.  Squier,  and  E-  B.  O'Callaghan. 

12.  The  commercial  papers  of  Ellis  and  Allan,  Sylvanus  Bourne,  and 
from  various  custom-houses. 


12  THE    LIBRARY    OF    CONGRESS    AND    ITS    WORK. 

13.  The  Halliwell- Phillips  collection  of  English  bills  and  accounts  of  the 
Seventeenth  century.  Vernon- Wager  Tetters,  records  of  Barbados,  and 
other  West  India  islands. 

14.  A  collection  of  the  sacred  books  of  Burma  on  palm  leaves.  The 
Rockhill  collection  of  Chinese  and  Thibetan  manuscripts  and  other 
Orientalia. 

15.  A  series  of  transcripts  of  documents  in  the  English  Public  Record 
Office,  and  in  the  French  and  Spanish  archives  relating  to  America. 
Also  the  so-called  "Peace  Transcripts"  made  by  Mr.  B.  F.  Stevens,  of 
documents  relating  to  the  Peace  of  1783;  and  the  Stevens  "Catalogue 
Index"  of  manuscripts  in  European  archives  relating  to  America, 
1 763-1 783. 

16.  A  large  collection  of  broadsides,  theatre  programmes,  et  cetera. 

MAPS 

The  valuable  maps  and  atlases  belonging  to  the  Library  of  Congress 
form  probably  the  most  extensive,  certainly  the  most  thoroughly  equipped 
and  accessible,  collection  in  the  United  States. 

This  collection  consists  of  over  161,711  maps  and  5,571  atlases,  and  is 
especially  rich  in  Americana,  containing  many  manuscripts  illustrating 
the  discovery,  settlement,  and  early  wars  of  the  country.  The  Division 
is  fortunate  in  possessing,  in  addition  to  several  small  surveys,  the  large 
manuscript  map  made  by  George  Washington  to  show  his  land  grants  on 
the  Kanawha  River.  These,  together  with  other  manuscript  maps,  old 
engraved  views  of  various  cities  and  maps  of  local  interest,  are  to  be  seen 
in  the  exhibition  room  connected  with  the  Division. 

The  collection  of  atlases  is  especially  noteworthy,  comprising  as  it  does 
nearly  all  the  geographical  works  of  Ptolemy,  Ortelius,  Mercator,  Blaeu, 
and  others.  The  earliest  of  these  and  the  first  atlas  entirely  engraved 
on  copper  is  the  metrical  translation  into  Italian  by  Berlingeri  of  Ptol- 
emy's geography,  published  in  Florence  about  1480.  Also  of  interest  is 
a  manuscript  globe,  72  mm.  in  diameter,  made  by  Caspar  Vopel  in  1543. 
This  globe  is  of  the  utmost  rarity,  there  being  only  two  other  examples 
by  Vopel  in  existence. 

The  Division  contains  a  special  reading  room  where  every  facility  is 
given  to  students  for  the  examination  of  material.  In  addition  to  the 
usual  readers,  the  Map  Division  is  consulted  in  connection  with  boundary 
disputes,  law  cases,  and  the  work  of  many  of  the  Government  Depart- 
ments. 

MUSIC 

Established  in  1897,  the  Music  Division  has  in  its  custody  all  the  music 
and  books  on  music  acquired  by  the  Library  of  Congress  either  through 
copyright  or  purchase.     The  collections  represented  on  July  i,  1922,  a 


THE    LIBRARY    OF    CONGRESS   AND    ITS    WORK.  1 3 

grand  total  of  954,304  volumes,  pamphlets,  and  pieces,  of  which  39,491 
illustrate  the  history,  theory,  and  study  of  music.  The  yearly  accessions 
now  amount  to  more  than  35,000  volumes,  pamphlets  and  pieces. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  rarities  the  collections,  until  1897,  were 
almost  entirely  the  result  of  deposits  under  the  copyright  law.  For 
reasons  connected  with  the  history  of  copyright  legislation,  only  a  portion 
of  the  music  entered  for  copyright  between  1 783  and  1 8 1 8  was  in  possession 
of  the  Librarv^;  but  that  issued  since  1819  by  the  press  of  the  United 
States  was  represented  in  a  collection  which  was  fairly  comprehensive 
and,  of  course,  unique.  Of  European  publications,  the  Library  in  1897 
possessed  very  few  issued  prior  to  1891,  and  these  principally  works  by 
American  composers.  Since  1891,  when  protection  under  our  copyright 
law  was  extended  to  the  works  of  foreign  authors,  the  collections  came 
to  embrace  music  which  foreign  publishers  cared  thus  to  enter  for  protec- 
tion. As  most  of  the  continental  countries  making  important  contribu- 
tions to  music,  with  the  exception  of  Austria- Hungary  and  Russia,  have 
been  included  in  this  protection,  and  as  the  European  publishers  copy- 
righted the  majority  of  their  publications  (frequently  works  by  Russians, 
Austrians,  etc.),  the  Library  of  Congress,  under  the  international  copy- 
right law  of  1 89 1,  came  to  acquire  a  very  extensive  and  representative 
collection  of  contemporary  European  music. 

Since  1902,  however,  there  has  been  systematic  effort  and  a  very  con- 
siderable expenditure  to  increase  the  scope  of  the  Division  in  order  to 
make  it  a  center  of  research  to  the  student,  critic,  and  historian  of  music. 
Thus  the  Music  Division  now  possesses,  beside  a  unique  collection  of 
Americana — 

1.  An  exceptionally  full  collection  of  printed  orchestra  scores  of  operas, 
new  and  old,  as  well  as  of  transcripts  made  from  often  unique  copies  in 
the  libraries  of  Europe. 

2.  The  largest  collection  of  opera  librettos,  including  the  important 
Schatz  collection. 

3.  The  complete  works  of  the  classic  and  romantic  masters,  in  definite 
or  uniform  editions;  also  the  musical  "monuments"  and  publications 
issued  by  various  historical  societies. 

4.  A  notable  collection  of  rare  historical  and  theoretical  books  on 
music  printed  before  1800  and  a  rapidly  increasing  collection  of  old  music. 

5.  A  comprehensive  assortment  of  modem  books  on  the  history  and 
the  theory  of  music.  IMusical  biography  is  particularly  Avell  represented, 
that  in  English  being  almost  complete. 

6.  About  120  American  and  foreign  musical  reviews  currently  received. 

7.  In  recent  years  the  collection  of  autograph  compositions  and  letters 
of  famous  musicians  has  been  considerably  strengthened  through  the 
acquisition  of  many  rare  and  valuable  items. 


14  THE    LIBRARY    OF    CONGRESS    AND    ITS   WORK. 

PRINTS 

The  collection  of  prints,  July  i,  1921,  numbers  424,783,  covering 
every  process  and  representing  all  schools.  It  is  acquired  by  copyright, 
purchase,  and  gift. 

The  utility  of  such  a  varied  collection  is  further  increased  for  study 
and  exhibition  purposes  by  valuable  and  interesting  loans,  notably  that 
of  Mrs.  T.  Harrison  Garrett  and  the  late  Mr.  George  Lothrop  Bradley. 

The  collection  has  also  been  enriched  by  prints  presented  by  the 
French  and  German  Governments,  and  a  selection  of  prints  and  illustrated 
books  by  celebrated  Japanese  artists,  the  gift  of  Mr.  Crosby  S.  Noyes. 

In  1 917,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Pennell,  the  authorized  biographers  of 
James  McNeil  Whistler,  presented  their  large  and  valuable  collection  of 
Whistleriana. 

There  has  been  recently  purchased  a  collection  of  25,000  photo- 
graphs of  paintings  and  sculpture  in  European  galleries  and  of  foreign 
architecture. 

With  this  great  collection  at  hand  exhibitions  have  been  made  from 
time  to  time  illustrative  of  the  history  of  engraving,  and  presenting  the 
works  of  the  various  schools  or  those  of  celebrated  masters  of  engraving, 
such  as  Diirer,  Rembrandt,  Haden,  and  Wliistler. 

The  valuable  works  on  the  Fine  Arts,  including  Architecture,  repre- 
sented by  reference  works  and  periodicals,  together  with  the  collection 
of  prints,  are  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  art  students  and  readers. 
Every  facility  is  afforded  both  for  study  and  general  reading. 

LAW   LIBRARY 

The  Law  Library  of  Congress  and  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States  was  established  by  act  of  Congress  in  1832.  It  contains  over 
195,000  volumes  and  is  the  largest  collection  of  strictly  law  books  in  the 
world. 

Its  collections  are  constantly  drawn  on  by  the  law  officers  of  the 
Executive  Departments  and  the  judges  of  the  courts  located  in  Washing- 
ton. To  meet  the  very  large  number  of  loans  made  by  the  Law  Library, 
many  duplicates  are  carried. 

About  35,000  volumes,  a  good  working  collection  of  English  and 
American  law,  are  located  in  the  Capitol  building  in  the  room  which  was 
for  nearly  fifty  years  the  chamber  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States.  The  rest  of  the  Law  Library  has  received  temporary  quarters 
in  the  Library  of  Congress  building. 

The  Law  Library  contains  a  very  complete  collection  of  Year- 
books (reports  of  cases  decided  in  the  English  courts  during  the  reigns 
from  Edward  I  to  Henry  VIII),  many  early  editions  of  the  classical 
treatises  on  Anglo-American  law,  an  almost  complete  collection  of  the 


THE    LIBRARY    OF    CONGRESS    AND    ITS    WORK.  15 

first  editions  of  the  session  laws  of  Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts, 
and  it  is  rapidly  developing  a  good  working  collection  of  the  modern  law 
literature  of  all  the  countries  of  the  world. 

USE 

The  lyibrar}'  was  originally  established  for  the  use  of  Congress  merely. 
It  aids  with  research  and  the  loan  of  books  all  branches  of  the  Federal 
Government,  the  Supreme  Court,  the  Executive  Departments,  and  the 
various  scientific  Bureaus  maintained  by  the  Federal  Government  whose 
investigations  constantly  require  a  reference  to  books. 

Though  still  carrying  the  title  "Library  of  Congress,"  it  is  also  now 
a  general  public  library,  open  as  freely  for  reference  use  as  any  in  the 
world.  Since  its  removal  to  the  new  building  its  collections  and  its 
service  have  so  extended  that  it  is  now  familiarly  entitled  the  National 
Library.  Any  person  from  any  place  may  examine  within  its  walls  any 
book  in  its  possession,  and  may  do  this  without  introduction  or  cre- 
dentials. The  Library  is  open  from  9  a.  m.  till  10  p.  m.;  on  Sundays 
and  all  holidays  excepting  Fourth  of  July  and  Christmas,  also  excepting 
Saturday  afternoons  during  July,  August,  and  September,  from  2  till 
10  p.  m. 

Books  for  home  use  are  issued  to  certain  classes  designated  by  statute 
and,  within  the  District  of  Columbia,  in  effect  to  any  person  engaged  in 
a  serious  investigation  for  which  the  books  are  required. 

Of  late  the  Library  has  also  lent  books  to  other  libraries  in  various 
parts  of  the  United  States  for  the  convenience  of  investigators  engaged 
in  research  calculated  to  advance  the  boundaries  of  knowledge.  This  is 
under  a  system  of  interlibrary  loan.  A  condition  of  the  loan  is  that 
the  book  is  an  unusual  book,  which  it  is  not  the  duty  of  the  local  library 
to  supply,  and  that  it  can  at  the  moment  be  spared  by  the  Library  of 
Congress,  and  that  the  risk  and  expense  of  transportation  shall  be  borne 
by  the  borrowing  library. 

The  Library  also  aids  investigators  by  publications  exhibiting  materia] 
in  its  collections  upon  topics  under  current  discussion,  or  within  fields  of 
special  research.  It  answers  inquiries  addressed  to  it  by  mail  in  so  far 
as  they  can  be  answered  by  bibliographic  information — that  is,  by  a 
reference  to  printed  authorities.  The  number  of  such  inquiries  yearly 
exceeds  25,000.  The  Library  is  thus  becoming  a  bureau  of  information 
upon  matters  bibliographic. 

PUBLICATIONS  ^ 

The  publications  issued  by  the  Library  are  numerous  and  include — 
Annual  reports,  showing  the  progress  of  the  Library. 
Bibliographies,    exhaustive   statements    of    the   literature   of   certain 
subjects,  e.  g.,  Philippine  Islands. 

'  Complete  list  of  publications  sent  on  application  to  the  Librarian. 


l6  THE    UBRARY    OF    CONGRESS   AND    ITS    WORK. 

Reference  lists,  containing  principal  references  to  questions  of  current 
interest,  e.  g..  Trusts,  Subsidies,  Railroad,  etc. 

Catalogue,  lists  of  special  collections  in  the  Library  of  Congress,  e.  g., 
Washington  MSS.,  John  Paul  Jones  MSS.,  Maps  of  America,  Newspapers. 

Special  publications  on  library  methods,  e.  g.,  Catalogue  rules.  Classi- 
fication, etc. 

OTHER  LIBRARIES   AT   WASHINGTON 

The  Library  of  Congress  is  but  one  of  over  50  Government  libraries 
at  Washington.  There  are  in  the  various  Departments  and  scientific  bu- 
reaus of  the  Government  collections  aggregating  over  a  million  volumes. 
Certain  of  these  are  preeminent  in  the  world  within  the  field  with  which 
they  deal.  With  them,  the  Library  of  Congress  is  seeking  to  form  an 
organic  system.  It  will  be  this  system  rather  than  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress alone  which  will  eventually  form  the  National  Library  of  the  United 
States.  In  number  of  volumes  it  would  already  equal  any  other  library 
in  the  world. 

BOOKS   REIvATiNG   TO   EIBRARY   OF    CONGRESS 

Published  by  the  Library: 

Reports  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  1897-192 1. 

(The  Report  for   1901   contains  a  Manual  of  the  Constitution, 
Organization,  Methods,  etc.,  of  the  Library.) 
History  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  by  W.   D.  Johnston.     Vol.  I, 
1800-1864.     Price,  $1.40. 
Published  by  private  publishers  for  sale: 

Handbook  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  by  Herbert  Small.     Boston, 
Curtis  and  Cameron.     Price,  25  cents. 

o 


L'iBFuA.KY   SCHOOL  LTBRARV 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
BERKELEY 

Return  to  desk  from  which  borrowed. 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


MAY  2  8  1950 
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H' 


14  DAY  USE    £t3 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LIBRARY   SCHOOJ.  LIBRARY 

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Renewed  books  are  subjea  to  immediate  recall. 

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